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Adirondack Health will cut Lake Placid ER to “part-time”

by on July 26th, 2013

Adirondack Health CEO Chandler Ralph has argued that financial losses at the Lake Placid ER are unsustainable. (PHOTO: AMC)

Adirondack Health CEO Chandler Ralph has argued that financial losses at the Lake Placid ER are unsustainable. (PHOTO: AMC)

Adirondack Health announced a few minutes ago that it will begin to “transition to a part-time ER in Lake Placid.”

During the legislative session earlier this summer, the Saranac Lake-based hospital sought permission from lawmakers in Albany to operate the ER on a part-time basis, but that legislation failed.

State regulations prevent the operation of emergency rooms in New York state on a part-time basis, without special approval.

Asked to clarify what this decision means for Adirondack Health, spokesman Joe Riccio responded with the foll0wing statement:

“Though the effort to gain approval in the last legislative session was unsuccessful, it did open the door for a productive dialogue with the state Department of Health to pursue the part-time ER option.”

Riccio says the hospital will wait for approval from Albany before making substantive changes at the Lake Placid facility.

The ultimate goal he said is to “ensure all quality, patient safety and regulatory requirements are held to the high standard set by Adirondack Health and its staff.  If approved, the part-time ER will operate a minimum of 12 hours per day.”

 The hospital has announced that an “ad hoc transition team” is being formed that will include community members to shape the changes.
Adirondack Health has argued that the full-time ER was often operating without patient traffic, costing the non-profit half a million dollars a year in losses.
Some critics in the community, however, have argued that loss of a full-time emergency room would pose serious risks in an area that attracts large numbers of athletes and sports enthusiasts.
Chris Knight, from the Adirondack Daily Enterprise, will have more on this story Monday morning during the 8 O’clock Hour.

4 Comments on “Adirondack Health will cut Lake Placid ER to “part-time””

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  1. Paul says:
    July 26, 2013 at 1:47 pm

    They are switching to part time which they are not approved to do? Got it. Wait a minute I don’t get it?

    So the headline should read:

    “Adirondack Health would prefer to cut Lake Placid ER to “part-time”

  2. mervel says:
    July 26, 2013 at 9:16 pm

    How can an emergency room be part time? I guess for part time emergencies?

  3. Bob Meyer says:
    August 4, 2013 at 3:31 pm

    right mervel: we can ONLY have emergencies during business hours….well, unless we get sent to Saranac Lk. we hope.

  4. Avon says:
    August 6, 2013 at 7:31 pm

    And just today I read about helicoptering a person, found in the mountains overnight with a broken leg, to Saranac for treatment.

    I suppose emergency cases can make the trip from Placid – but from some places that’ll double the time to get care.

    So wouldn’t it be possible – and better – to pay ER staff at a reduced rate, requiring only that they be on standby somewhere in the village, as opposed to actually sitting idle within the ER all night? Some staffers would never want to work that way. But I’d bet some others might be happy to be “on” for 60 hours a week at half pay, if they can usually spend 40-50 of those hours doing something else productive.

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